CASE HISTORIES OF CORPS BREAKWATER AND JETTY STRUCTURES 

 SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION 



PART I: INTRODUCTION 



Background 



1. The Corps of Engineers (CE) is responsible for a wide variety of 

 coastal structures located along the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the gulf 

 coast, the Great Lakes, the Hawaiian Islands, other islands, and inland water- 

 ways. Coastal improvements such as breakwaters and/or jetties are necessary 

 to provide harbor protection and the safe passage of vessels. These struc- 

 tures usually are constructed on movable-bed materials and are subjected 

 continuously to wave and current forces. Under these conditions, structural 

 deterioration may occur and, in time, maintenance may be required when the 

 structure fails to serve the needs of the project. Some projects have been 

 maintained for 150 years or more. Methods of construction (and repair) have 

 varied significantly during this time principally because of a better under- 

 standing of coastal processes and existing wave climates, availability 



of construction materials, regional construction practices, and economic 

 considerations. 



Purpose 



2. The purposes of this report are to provide insight into the scope, 

 magnitude, and history of coastal breakwaters and jetties under CE juris- 

 diction; to determine maintenance and repair history; to determine methods of 

 construction; to make this information available to CE personnel; and to 

 address objectives of the Repair, Evaluation, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation 

 (REMR) research program. To accomplish these objectives, case histories of CE 

 breakwaters and jetty structures have been developed to quantify past and 

 present problem areas (if any), to take steps to rectify these problems, and 

 to subsequently evaluate the remedial measures. General design guidance can 

 be obtained from the solutions that have been most successful. Information in 

 this report should be of particular value to CE personnel in the US Army 



